Bali’s not exactly known to be pedestrian friendly with its shortage of sidewalks and gaping ditches on the side of the road—which definitely doesn’t help things for disabled people.
Dozens of disabled people in Bali reportedly held a rally at the intersection of Jl. Diponegoro and Sudirman on Wednesday, to protest the non-handicapped-friendly conditions in Bali, reports VIVA News.
Activist Gede Nusantara told VIVA that as a country, Indonesia ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, making Bali obligated to accommodate people with disabilities.
“But in fact, people with disabilities in Indonesia still suffer discrimination in various spheres, among others, the fulfillment of the right to life and protection are still minimal,” Nusantara said on Wednesday.
For example, he referenced the not-so-good and comprehensive sidewalks in Bali.
Chairman of the Indonesian Association of the Blind (Pertuni) Bali, I Gede Widiasa, confirmed that that Bali’s sidewalks are not handicapped-friendly, with a number of holes, or how they are used by vendors and often as parking spaces.
For that, the association has filed a lawsuit against the local government, according to VIVA.
Photos: Flickr (L), Pixabay (R)
